Democratic Congresssman Frank Pallone has urged the Bush administration to change its policy towards Pakistan, saying he believed that it had jeopardised both Indian and US security interests.

Stating that India has a reason to fault US policy towards Pakistan, Pallone, who has just returned from a visit to India, said, "Indian policy makers clearly feel that America's actions towards Pakistan in recent months have jeopardised both Indian and US security interests, and frankly, I tend to agree."

"I am hopeful that the new session of Congress beginning in January can reverse some of these policy decisions involving Pakistan, and that the Bush administration will also have a change of heart," he said in a statement.

The New Jersey congressman hoped that the National Security Adviser Brijesh Mishra, who is to visit Washington on December nine, could bring to the notice of Bush administration the problems that Pakistan continues to pose to security in South Asia and other parts of the world.

"It's amazing to me how many international policy makers have warned the president and his advisers about the dangers posed by Pakistan, and yet this administration continues to look the other way," Pallone said. "Just last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned President Bush in Saint Petersburg about Pakistan's lack of reliability in the war against terrorism."

"Putin pointedly suggested that Osama bin Laden has taken refuge in Pakistan, and the dangers of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal being under the control of a military junta," he added.

"The US Congress should try to reverse the Bush administration's policy towards Pakistan in several important ways," Pallone said. "First, Congress should reinstate the Symington amendment providing for sanctions against Pakistan or any country that transfers nuclear weapons technology to a third party. I also firmly believe there should be no military arms or equipment transfers to Pakistan."

"Secondly, the Congress should re-enact the democracy sanctions that were repealed after September 11 as a means of prodding President Musharraf to move closer to democracy," Pallone said.

He added that weapon and military equipment transfers to Pakistan were unacceptable as long as it continues to pose a threat to India's security by encouraging terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Terrorist attacks were renewed with a vengeance at a Hindu temple complex in Kashmir while I was in New Delhi on Sunday, November 24," Pallone said. "The attack was the third in three days after a period of quiet. I believe that Pakistan has the ability to deter these attacks by applying more pressure on Islamic militants. It is particularly harmful because the new state government in Jammu and Kashmir is trying hard to set the stage for peace," he added.